Pulse Podcast Archive for August 2007

When Lawrence Redding was playing the subways in New York City, he needed some instrumental accompaniment.Instead of finding a friend that played a horn, he decided to make up the sounds himself - with his own mouth. Now, he's known as "Lipbone Redding" for the trombone/flugelhorn noises he conjures up without an instrument.Redding, whose music mixes elements of roots, Americana, funk, jam soul and R&B, comes to the Lawrence Public Library for a show at 7 p.m. Tuesday.In this week's Pulse Podcast, Redding talks about how he came up with the "lipbone," as well as how his background influenced his musical style.After that, you can find out what is going on in Lawrence this weekend in our weekly Best Bets feature.

Shape-note singing is a musical form that dates back to Colonial times in the United States, but it's still alive, both musically and spiritually.The musical form is featured this week in the Pulse Podcast. The podcast coincides with Sunday's public demonstration singing event by the Kaw Valley Shape Note Singing Association, which will set up in the South Park gazebo from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. during the Kansas State Picking and Fiddling Championships.In the podcast, local member Joe Casad talks about why he's involved in shape-note singing, and Matt Hinton, who co-directed the documentary "Awake My Soul" about the musical style, talks about its history.After that, find out what else is going on in Lawrence this weekend in our weekly Best Bets feature.

Keith Grimwood and Ezra Idlet write songs about ice cream, aliens in noses and beans and weenies.It's safe to say their songs are generally intended for children. But they hope parents might actually like the songs, too.The duo make up Trout Fishing in America, a three-time Grammy-nominated band that plays at 7 p.m. today at the Lied Center. The performance is the Lied's annual Family Concert.In this week's Pulse Podcast, Grimwood and Idlet talk about their songwriting process and where their crazy name came from.And, as always, find out what else is going on in Lawrence this weekend in our weekly Best Bets feature.

Lawrence probably had a strong music scene in the 1850s, but just a tad different from the way things are today.

No drum sets or electric guitar. Banjos, fiddles, guitars and animal bones were among the instruments.And the music represented the eclectic immigrant tradition that was helping to populate the West.

This week's Pulse Podcast takes a look at the music of territorial Kansas through the eyes of Jonathon Goering, a member of the Wichita band The Freestaters. The Freestaters will be playing a dinner at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Watkins Community Museum of History, 1047 Mass.

Hear some traditional music from the era and hear why Goering thinks musical instruments were often part of the wagon loads that headed west.